


"It'll be worth the wait."

by orphan_account



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Foreshadowing, Gen, Jealous Felicity, Jealous Oliver, Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-04
Updated: 2014-11-04
Packaged: 2018-02-24 03:23:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2566481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver and Felicity run into one of Oliver's ex's at lunch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"It'll be worth the wait."

It had been a series of stiff gestures and almost touches between Oliver and Felicity for weeks now. With Felicity dating Ray, and Oliver trying to muster genuine happiness for how well they were doing, Oliver found himself avoiding Felicity. He couldn’t stand the way she still ignited his blood with a single innocent look—couldn’t shake the jealousy coursing through his veins, so he kept his distance. He could see a flash of hurt every time he shied from the brush of her arm or avoided her questioning eyes, but he knew it was for the best. Felicity was happy with Ray. She was safe.

Roy and Digg though, noticed Oliver’s cold shoulder and Felicity’s attempts to hide the pain in her eyes. One night after a rather difficult mission where Oliver had sliced open his leg, he had insisted on patching it up instead of Felicity, causing her to stomp out of the lair.

Roy shot a look at Digg.

“You go after Felicity, I’ll talk to Oliver,” Digg instructed quietly, and after a swift nod from the boy in red, they departed separate ways.

Oliver sat, head hunched as he finished stitching up his leg.

“I’m fine, Digg. I can finish it myself,” Oliver said through concentrated teeth.

“Man, your leg is the least of my worries,” Digg said with a sigh.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Oliver asked, catching the annoyance.

“I know you think that pushing Felicity away is what’s best for her, but you’re hurting her like this too,” Digg said, looking down on Oliver angrily, “she doesn’t deserve that.”

“It’s just stitches,” Oliver grumbled.

“No,” Digg leveled him with a glare, “It’s not.”

Oliver hung his head, shaking it in exasperation, “She doesn’t deserve is to be killed because I love her, either! I can’t put her in danger like that.”

“No, what she doesn’t deserve is to lose a friend over something that isn’t her fault,” Dig conceded.

“Oliver, no one’s asking you to sweep Felicity off her feet. She has Ray now. She thinks you’ve moved on. She just needs you as a friend,” Digg said, and with a pat on Oliver’s back and walked out of the foundry, leaving Oliver alone.

That was how Oliver ended up shifting awkwardly outside of Felicity’s apartment that Sunday afternoon, getting ready to take her out for lunch—as friends. Just friends. He didn’t feel like that about her anymore, it was just their close proximity. Or at least that’s what he had convinced himself of the past 24 hours without her.

He maintained that state of mind as she opened the door—she looked beautiful. Like Felicity. His Felicity. He sighed in relief, taking her in. He could do this—he could be her friend. Really, he could.

He could be her friend when she greeted him with a simple hello, a smile, and closed the door behind her. He could be her friend when she made idle talk about Queen Consolidated and chattered on about how much Lyla was starting to show. He could even be her friend when she let out the most beautiful laugh he had ever heard, even though it distracted him so much he couldn’t remember the joke. He could contain himself—remember that she was his friend. That was all.

He had to catch himself though, at the strangest moments. Like when she wrinkled her nose at his motorcycle, insisting they take her car. When they were eating and she nearly snorted up her water as she was laughing at him—not with him. At him. When she would brush her hand absentmindedly against her glasses, pushing them up. And when she fought with him over the bill, he found himself unexplainably longing for her to yell at him. He thought he was going explode when she finally snatched the check from him, her hand brushing his for just a moment. He was almost relieved that she looked just as startled at the contact, damn how wrong it was.

“Felicity,” he breathed, but stopped there. What was he supposed to say? Nothing had changed. She was with Ray. And Oliver was…well, Oliver. One lunch hadn’t made those realities disappear.

“Oliver Queen?” A high, incredulous voice broke them out of their stupor, much to Oliver’s relief. Until he saw the source.

A leggy brunette stared down at the table, deep brown eyes peering out under full lashes. Her skin was a golden brown, and her outfit reeked of money, as did the designer sunglasses perched on top of her sleek hair.

Oliver felt himself begin to panic. She looked familiar, but he could not, for the life of him, remember her name.

“Hey… you. How have you been?” He settled for with a cheery tone, but by the amused lift of Felicity’s mouth he knew it sounded fake.

“I’ve been better than you, I’d bet. Being on solid land and all.” She joked dryly, “So, shipwrecked? That’s probably why you never called me back.”

Oliver remembered her now. He had met her about a week before he had gotten on the Queens Gambit at a club. Amber.

“Amber,” he addressed, pulling out a forced Oliver Queen style smile and a light chuckle at her joke, “This is Felicity, she—” Oliver began to introduce, but was interrupted quickly.

“I knew you were back, but I hadn’t seen you around. It’s too bad you missed out on five years of fun,” Amber gazed down at him and trailed a suggestive arm over the hand that had been previously touching Felicity’s, “I could show you some of what you missed out on.”

Before Oliver could respond, a third hand clamped on top of theres. An irritated Felicity gently moved Amber’s hand away from the table, before looking up at her with raised eyebrows.

“I’m Felicity, in case you didn’t hear,” Felicity’s face held a smile as she sat back in her chair, picking up her glass of wine and taking a small sip, “We were having a really nice lunch, so thank you for interrupting with such enlightening news, but I think Oliver can find fun all on his own,” Felicity made a little gesture towards herself, and Oliver almost choked on his water at the insinuation. She tilted her head at Amber’s shocked face, and gave a little shooing motion.

“You can go now,” Felicity said, with another large smile, and Amber gave Oliver a look as though expecting him to intercede.

He could barely contain his amusement as Amber stomped away.

Felicity’s cheeks flushed as she fidgeted with her wine glass, feeling Oliver’s stare on her. 

“Felicity,” Oliver’s voice was a mix of laughter and elation at Felicity’s obvious jealousy and unexpected bluntness.

“Shut up,” Felicity scolded, but Oliver could hear the laugh in her voice as well. 

They stared at each other a long beat, and Oliver felt more comfortable than he had the entire lunch. This was Felicity. His Felicity. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t allowed to kiss her or touch her. He would always love her, even if he couldn’t tell her. She was his best friend before anything else.

The server suddenly popped up by their side, asking if they would like anything else.

“Can we have a couple of those eclairs?” Felicity asked, “They looked delicious.”

“Yes, ma’am, but they’re making a fresh batch. It will be a little while.” 

“Don’t worry,” Oliver replied, casting a sure smile at Felicity, “It’ll be worth the wait.”


End file.
